Esther Chapter 8

1 On that day did the king
Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And
Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he [was] unto her.2
And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto
Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.3 ¶ And Esther
spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him
with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he
had devised against the Jews.4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre
toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,5 And said, If it
please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing [seem]
right before the king, and I [be] pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to
reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he
wrote to destroy the Jews which [are] in all the king's provinces:6 For how
can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure
to see the destruction of my kindred?7 ¶ Then the king Ahasuerus said unto
Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house
of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand
upon the Jews.8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's
name, and seal [it] with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in
the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.9 Then
were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that [is], the
month Sivan, on the three and twentieth [day] thereof; and it was written
according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants,
and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which [are] from India unto
Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according
to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the
Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.10 And he
wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed [it] with the king's ring, and
sent letters by posts on horseback, [and] riders on mules, camels, [and] young
dromedaries:11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which [were] in every city
to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay,
and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would
assault them, [both] little ones and women, and [to take] the spoil of them for
a prey,12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, [namely],
upon the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which [is] the month Adar.13
The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province [was]
published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to
avenge themselves on their enemies.14 [So] the posts that rode upon mules
[and] camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment.
And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.15 ¶ And Mordecai went out
from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a
great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city
of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and
joy, and honour.17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever
the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a
feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the
fear of the Jews fell upon them.